


ready, set, ace!

by tzaikii



Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Tennis, F/F, Misunderstandings, Rivals to Lovers, is it rivals to lovers if theyre already crushing on each other but theyre each other's competition?, its a tennis au!, rated T because i have this issue of making every character curse at least once, tags will be updated as we go on!, that's a big one in the later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 23:41:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30046593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tzaikii/pseuds/tzaikii
Summary: [love: a profoundly tender, passionate affection, a feeling of warm personal attachment; in tennis terms: proof that your opponent’s getting to you.]Linh Song was a tennis player. And a damn good one at that. She was in lessons since she could walk and grew up with tennis in her family. Biana’s completely self-taught. Linh and her brother Tam are known as the Silver Shots for being lightning fast, never missing a shot on the court. Biana saw one match between Naomi Osaka in Wimbledon on the small tv at the bookstore and fell in love. Linh has tennis trophies probably accumulating every empty space in her room. Biana’s just some girl who begged her moms for a tennis racket and got her wish granted. Linh’s perfect, and Biana may have a tiny, tiny tiny crush on her. And now they have to go head to head. In the School Championships. Because apparently, Biana’s the only other female tennis player in this entire godforsaken boarding school. She’s so so so screwed.(Or: Linh and Biana. A story told through tennis matches, ice cream dates, and the fight for the winner in the School Championships.)
Relationships: Linh Song/Biana Vacker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	ready, set, ace!

**Author's Note:**

> written for the kotlc 2021 collab on tumblr and in partnership with maya (@queersofthelostcities) who did a WONDERFUL, AMAZING, MINDBLOWING art of biana in front of the headmistress' office which i will link in the end notes! 
> 
> go check it out and give them some love!! she deserves all of it and more!!!!!!
> 
> tennis terms/info that might come in handy while reading: _match_ \- made up of sets which are made up of games the players play. _sets_ are either out of 3, or 5 (in this chapter, it's 5) and the duration of the match depends upon the number of sets and the length of the game.
> 
>  _forehand_ is a type of shot, the most common, made by swinging the tennis racquet across the body on the same side of the body as the main hand in which the racquet is held.
> 
>  _scoring system_ : 0 points is called love. 1 point is 15. 2 points is 30, and 3 points are 40. _deuce_ means a tie.  
> 
> 
> _enjoy!!_  
> 

_The match has begun. Biana serves the ball and her opponent races to strike._

_Now, we have to be wary and on guard because Biana Vacker is the wildest card we’ve had in this Championships today._

_We’re 3 sets in, and she’s won 5 games so far. All of those victories achieved through wildly different methods._

_She’s currently sitting on a cushion. If she wins this game, then she wins the match and if she doesn’t, she has many opportunities to make up. A nice plus for the woman who currently owns seven different cups from various Worldwide Championships..._

_Right now it looks like Miss Vacker is currently dominating the courts, with a two-point lead. The scoreboard is currently 30: love. Her opponent is trailing and will need an effort to even reach a deuce….._

_2 and a half hours in, the score is currently 30-30, both opponents at 2 points and we’re all on the edge of our seats anticipated for who will win. She serves, and Biana aims a forehand, a devastating blow, and her opponent runs, as she tries to hit the ball. She’s running, running, she’s almost there.._

_But, alas! she misses. It’s a score! Miss Vacker just won the match. Look at her smile, it’s official Miss Biana Vacker is-_

Miss Vacker? Vacker? Biana!

“Would Miss Biana Vacker please come down to the common room, she’s got a meeting with the headmistress.” A voice rings out from the megaphone situated in the corner of the classroom. Conveniently, situated right near Biana’s seat in the back. 

The whole class turns to face Biana, who sits up straighter, turning her head to stare at Sophie incredulously. Sophie stares back at her, confused. Biana tilts her head in question, knowing Sophie will understand what she means. Her blonde companion shakes their head unknowingly.

Biana twists the ring on her finger. The repetitive motions ground her, as she tries to make sense of the situation.

“Uhhh sure?” 

Biana packs her stuff and heads out the door. She can see Sophie quickly mouth the words “good luck” at her before the door shuts and she’s left in the drafty hallway.

Biana walks slowly, the deep green of the walls blending into the ground as she's lost in her thoughts. She can’t help the worst-case-scenarios from forming in her head. What if _Fitz got expelled, What if Alden’s out of jail, What if she got expelled. What if Della got sick, and Livvy can’t cure her, or What if?--_ Smack!

Biana backs up and rubs her nose, the shock slowly fading away. She looks to see what she ran into, and sighs.

 _Headmistress’ Office,_ the sign hanging from the door says, almost daring you to test your luck and enter. 

She’s here.

Biana pauses, standing right in front of the door. She smooths out her plaid skirt nervously, adjusting her collar, as she fidgets, trying to keep her hands busy and will them to stop shaking. 

She takes a deep breath, and counts to 10, trying to clear her face of any nervousness showing. Finally, once she’s deemed herself presentable, Biana knocks on the headmistress's door. 

“Enter,” comes the smooth, baritone voice from inside. 

She walks in slowly, eyes focused on the ground, feet taking small steps at a time. Somehow she stumbles, tripping on air. 

_Some tennis player, you are_ , the voice in her head scoffs. 

“Heh,” She regains her footing and smiles nervously at the woman staring at her coolly in front of her. 

Headmistress Alina gestures at her to sit and she immediately sinks into one of the orange seats, hands gripping the arms of the chair. 

Headmistress Alina leans back in her seat and meets Biana’s eyes, hands folded on the desk in front of her, “I trust you don’t know the reason you’ve been summoned?”

Biana swallows, “I do. I me--I mean I don’t. I mean like no, I-I don't know why--why I was called.” 

Biana is begging for _someone_ to let the floor swallow her up right now, letting her escape this clusterfuck of a conversation. 

Luckily, Headmistress Alina betrays no portrayal of disdain on her face so far. “Well, you’ve been called, Miss Vacker because you _are_ a tennis player, correct?” 

She purses her lips, staring at Biana and Biana can feel the heat rushing to her face, remembering the clumsy way she entered her office. 

She coughs, “Right. Yes. Yes, I do play tennis. I mean, yes I am. I am a tennis player, correct.” 

_Cutting a piece of burnt cake would be easier than the tension in this room,_ a voice eerily like Keefe’s sounds in Biana’s head.

“Hmm.” Biana doesn’t blame her for that apathetic response. She would’ve said worse.

“Well, as you know, we host the School Championships for all our athletes to showcase their talents at the end of the year. Tennis is one of the main events and normally we have our seniors play and show off one last time before they graduate. Unfortunately, due to special circumstances..” 

At this, Headmistress Alina’s eyes narrow, and Biana suddenly remembers the Great Gulon Incident that Keefe recently masterminded. 

“A prankster never reveals his secrets,'' he had whispered to them, smirking as Biana edged closer and closer to throttling them when she and Sophie asked him during their break on the bleachers. 

She didn’t get the chance to question further because at that moment, the sports class came out for practice and Biana was rendered speechless. She can still remember the way Linh’s arms looked as she gripped the racket and her long legs as they ran across the court while Tam served her the ball. 

Funnily enough, looking back, Keefe was also eerily quiet, eyes drawn to the match as well. 

Biana shakes her head, pushing those thoughts away while she’s sitting in the headmistress's office, and nods, gesturing to Alina to continue. 

“Yes, well due to those circumstances, our seniors are… Let’s just say they’re incapable of playing at the moment, so our juniors are going to have to go head to head,” 

She pauses, and turns to Biana. 

“That means you.” 

“Me?” Biana is confused at whatever she did that convinced the headmistress to let her play.

“Yes, you. You’re one of our best players, you show skill and effort and hard work and you would be a great fit to represent our school. It’s a no-brainer,” Headmistress Alina says this like Biana should already know this. As if she knows how much Biana doubts herself and is reassuring her in some way. Biana doesn’t know what to do with that information.

“The only question is, of course, are you willing to play?” 

Biana doesn’t try and hide the massive grin that’s forming on her face. _Not only was she chosen to represent her school, but the headmistress noticed her playing? She’s over the moon._ Biana can’t contain her excitement and jumps out of her seat.

“Yes! Yes, of course, I’ll do it!” _Professionalism_ , a voice in her head reminds her. 

“Ahem,” She stands still, dusting invisible particles off her shoulders, and extends her hand for a handshake. 

“Thank you so much for this opportunity, Headmistress, I really do appreciate it.” 

Headmistress Alina’s lips poke up in a barely-there smile. 

“The pleasure is all mine Miss Vacker. Besides, with you and Miss Song pitted against each other, it’ll be a really exciting match for the crowd.” 

Biana, pauses, her hand falling away from the tight handshake Headmistress Alina had her in. 

“Miss Song?” 

_As in Linh Song? As in the most talented tennis player this school has seen?_

_The girl who smiles at children and pets puppies and wears the prettiest sundresses at the park? The girl who saw how the reading list didn’t contain a single author of color, and marched straight to the board and fixed it herself? The girl who bumped into Biana once while she was lost and made her stutter and stumble over her words at the sight of Linh’s embarrassed blush dusting her cheek? The Miss Song that Biana has been crushing on for three years, since that fateful meeting that made her late to class? **That** Miss Song?_

“Yes?” Alina raises her eyebrow. 

“Is there anything wrong, Miss Vacker? Because if so, I’m sure we can find a way to replace y--” 

“No, no, no issue! This is fine, I was just wondering haha, no, no I’m fine, I’m just excited to be working alongside her. Um, I should probably be leaving now. May I be excused?” She tries to act normal and maintain a calm exterior. She almost succeeds too, until her voice cracks at that last question. 

Biana wipes her clammy hands on her skirt, and tries to smile in what she hopes is a convincingly pleasant expression. 

“You’re excused. Have a nice day. And Biana?”

She turns, halfway through turning the doorknob, “Yes, ma’am?”

“I do hope nothing is going on between you and Miss Song. It would be a shame if my two best tennis players suddenly got into anything less than friendly competition and ruined our chances. Wouldn't it?” Alina gives a meaningful glance at her. 

Biana blinks back, “Yes, of course, Headmistress Alina.” 

She hums, “Good. Now back to class.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Biana steps out of the room, and leans back, head resting against the heavy door.

_A match? With Linh Song? The determined and most compassionate girl in the school?_

Sophie’s words suddenly come to her mind. “Good luck,” Biana huffs a laugh. _Good luck indeed._

**Author's Note:**

> here we go....tennis and crushes and more!! lots of dialogue and not enough linh song, which im sorry about but trust me, soon! 👀  
> also: he/they keefe and she/they sophie rights <3
> 
> anyway, hope you enjoyed!! talk to me on tumblr (@loverofallthingssmart), please comment and/or kudos if you liked it, stay tuned for the next chap!! and have a wonderful day/night lovelies!!
> 
> the gorgeous, jaw-dropping, awesome art of biana in front of the headmistress' door by maya [here!](https://queersofthelostcities.tumblr.com/post/645742081100382209/biana-pauses-standing-right-in-front-of-the)


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